Harry Houdini died in Detroit on Halloween October 31st, 1926

[CassTechGrad]

It was October 31 – Halloween – 1926 when Houdini passed away. His body was transported to the Hamilton Funeral Home, located at 3977 Cass Avenue in Detroit. It was here where he was embalmed and placed in a special bronze casket complete with a glass lid. The casket was nailed into a wooden crate, shipped to Michigan Central Station, and then New York.

https://www.tiktok.com/@the.trespast...nder_device=pc

[Jimaz]

....he was embalmed and placed in a special bronze casket complete with a glass lid. The casket was nailed into a wooden crate,...

"But did he escape?" he asked, rhetorically.

[warsaw7]

It was October 31 – Halloween – 1926 when Houdini passed away. His body was transported to the Hamilton Funeral Home, located at 3977 Cass Avenue in Detroit. It was here where he was embalmed and placed in a special bronze casket complete with a glass lid. The casket was nailed into a wooden crate, shipped to Michigan Central Station, and then New York.

https://www.tiktok.com/@the.trespast...nder_device=pc

Does the Majestic Theatre still have seances for Houdini on Devil’s Night? Or was it on Halloween?

[Danny]

Houdini was taken to Old Grace Hospital wing at Mount Carmel Hospital on W. Outer Drive near Ardmore St. for an autopsy. He has died from a busted appendicitis.

[SFDS]

Danny, Houdini died at "Old Grace" on the DMC campus in room 401. The building has since been demolished. "New Grace" on 7 mile didn't open until 1942.

[Gistok]

warsaw7, he did not collapse at the Majestic Theatre... that was an urban legend. It was at the downtown Garrick Theatre, long gone.

[Henry Whalley]

... a busted appendicitis.

It was a Houdini Who Dunnit.

[canuck]

It was a Houdini Who Dunnit.

This is what happened to the guy who punched him in the gut.

https://www.wildabouthoudini.com/p/j...ehead.html?m=1

[Gistok]

Interestingly enough just 5 weeks earlier... Rudolph Valentino died of peritonitis also... on August 23, 1926... the day the Michigan Theatre had its' opening premier. Valentino's death was a much bigger earth shattering news, made headlines worldwide as well, and 40 million people [mainly women] actively mourned his death.

[warsaw7]

warsaw7, he did not collapse at the Majestic Theatre... that was an urban legend. It was at the downtown Garrick Theatre, long gone.

I am not stating he did collapse at the Majestic, I’m merely asking if they still perform seances for him there.

[Henry Whalley]

... seances...

They ought to perform a seance for Ren Cen, Stellantis, GM, Ford, etc.

https://jalopnik.com/these-are-the-c...1988/slides/16

[Gistok]

Here is old Harper's Hospital [in the DMC] that was sadly torn down a few decades ago. A beautiful Victorian building that should have found an adaptive reuse.

And it was in this hospital, in the room that Harry Houdini died, that seances were held sometimes on Houdini's death anniversary. He said that he would try to get thru from the other side... but that never occurred.

https://historicdetroit.org/gallerie...tal-old-photos

[GrtLksMarlin]

Great thread and interesting tidbits, thanks for sharing!
2026 should bring a lot of visitors hoping for his return--if you believe in such or not, hehe.

B.E.F.

[Lowell]

I just posted this in this weekend's fun things to list but it bears reposting here too.



Art of Darkness Live - The Uncanny Death of Harry Houdini Sat., Oct. 26, 7-9:30 p.m.
Planet Ant Black Box
2357 Caniff Street, Detroit
$25.00

Art of Darkness, the podcast about the dark side of creativity, presents a live Halloween event featuring a sinister tale of magic, mystery, and the macabre about the death of the singular Harry Houdini in Detroit, 1926. Costumes are encouraged. artofdarkpod.com